The UN Police has been recovering several dangerous weapons from the IDPs in the Protection of Civilians sites in the country, the out-going UNMISS Police Commissioner has said.

Fred Yiga says the weapons retrieved also include explosives such as grenades.

The statement comes a week after clashes in the UN camp in Malakal in which 18 people were reported dead, and about 80 others injured.

Mr Yiga urged IDPs seeking protection in the sites to cooperate with the UN Police to prevent the camps from becoming conflict areas.

“We cannot turn these sites into new conflict areas; that would be setting the country on fire,” he said during a media briefing this morning at the UN House in Juba.

Mr Fred Yiga’s term in office as the UN Police Commissioner has come to an end. He is from the Ugandan contingent of the UN Police force.

He will hand over office to the new commissioner, Bruce Mnyambo, from the Rwandese contingent.